LAS CRUCES - Sunland Park Mayor Martin Resendiz showed up Monday at City Hall for the first time after months of absence from city government.

Monday was the first business day after the weekend arrests of City Manager Jaime Aguilera and Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Salinas, who wrested control of the city from Resendiz last year.

A city employee who answered the city hall phone Monday confirmed Resendiz had been in the office earlier in the day and is expected to return Tuesday.

Resendiz has been an infrequent - if at all -visitor to city hall since October 2011.

In late September, the city council voted to take control of Resendiz's mayor's office in the building because he'd missed several meetings and was no longer going to city hall. Despite his absence, he was still receiving the mayor's $26,000-per-year stipend.

In early August 2011, news broke that Resendiz had admitted to signing about $1 million in architectural contracts while drunk in 2008. The city relied upon that excuse as part of a legal defense about why it shouldn't have to pay the contracts. Resendiz subsequently was ridiculed on George Lopez's national comedy show.
Resendiz's four-year term will end in March. The city's election is March 6, and he didn't seek re-election.

Diana Alba Soular can be reached at (575) 541-5443; follow her on Twitter @AlbaSoular